5115 Daniel’s Park-Sulphur

Location: Colorado

Areas of Expertise: Transmission

Recently, Hooper’s Electric Power Division completed a transmission project with Xcel Energy aimed at replacing a vulnerable conductor and improving system reliability in Parker, Colorado. This project spanned a populated suburban area and crossed Interstate 25, necessitating collaboration with the Colorado Department of Transportation as well as Xcel’s Siting and Land Rights team. Hooper’s team was actively involved throughout the process, from pre-construction planning to project closeout.

Our Electric Power Division crews installed a new steel monopole and strung 7.1 miles of bundle 636 kcmil transmission line, which has a high current-carrying capacity. The existing conductor was found to be susceptible to breakage due to a core strength issue. The new line features a steel core wrapped in aluminum strands, providing additional strength between towers and enhancing electrical resilience for the future.

The project faced several challenges. Our team identified many structures that lacked the strength necessary to string wire from and collaborated with Xcel’s engineering team to modify construction plans to ensure the safety of both crew members and the public. Additionally, our team worked diligently in a high-induction corridor, where energized 230kV and 345kV lines ran adjacent to the line we were rebuilding. After encountering several issues with radio communications in the area, our crews deployed Starlink satellite internet service to enable VOIP functionality throughout the wire pull operation, ensuring a consistent connection between crew members.

Hooper also participated in meetings with local municipalities to ensure that planning and permitting were properly addressed throughout the project.